Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Ireland challenges data retention directive

Sadly, not because of its privacy problems. Digital Rights Ireland comments (via EDRi):

According to the Government, the measure should have been passed by unanimous agreement of all the member states - not by a majority voting procedure. We agree - the directive is clearly an attempt to deal with matters of criminal law that are reserved to the member states, and the fundamental rights of Irish citizens should not be set aside by the majority vote of other EU states. But we’re disappointed that the Government shows no interest in asserting the right to privacy of Irish citizens. The result is that the European Court of Justice, when it eventually deals with the case, will only be hearing about procedure - not privacy. We believe that a law which provides for state-sponsored spying on every citizen, at all times, must be judged on privacy grounds - and that when it is it will be found to violate fundamental rights.